Band Aid documentary now available on YouTube featuring Bob Geldof, Midge Ure, Simon Le Bon and more

Forty years on from the monumental release of Band Aid ‘Do They Know It's Christmas?’, a new documentary, titled The Making of the Original 'Do They Know It's Christmas' has been released.

First shown on BBC late last week, it has now been made available via YouTube. With numerous contributors having since passed away – including George Michael, Rick Parfitt of Status Quo and Paula Yates – there is an added poignancy – and at times a highly emotional impact.

Band Aid was a pioneering moment, in terms of merging music and charity, raising millions to directly help save the lives of Ethiopians throughout the devastating famine of that year. The single - which was completed in 24 hours - rose to the top of the charts and smashed records becoming the fastest selling single in UK chart history.

The documentary provides a fascinating insight into the making of a record which transformed the perception of rock music into one as a force for good.

There is a great moment early on when Bob Geldof says how nice it is to be involved in something where people’s cynicism has been left outside – and that feeling comes through strongly again and again as the documentary progresses. It also offers a powerful insight into the kind of things that happen in a recording studio – and how different voices sound when they are stripped away from the backing tracks that act as a comfort blanket to artists and listeners alike.

All told, it is a fine musical doc, as well as a reminder of what the Band Aid project was all about – and the phenomenal drive on the part of Bob Geldof and Midge Ure that made it happen. Band Aid led to the creation of Live Aid, which in the summer of 1985 became the then-biggest rock show of all time. Live Aid raised over £170million to help address the famine in Ethiopia, as well as other projects in different parts of Africa.

Meanwhile Virgin Radio have released a two-part, three hour documentary to YouTube, in which Ben Jones interviews the musicians behind the 1984 charity single.

Band Aid also released 'Band Aid 40 Ultimate Mix' last week, which features a compilation of the previous three Band Aid 'Do they know its Christmas?' recordings.

Listen to part one of the Virgin Radio documentary below.